Oringinality (have any of the parts, such as the bridge or tuners, been changed or modified?)

How does it play?

First Determine the Year.
On Martin guitars, this is pretty easy. Every Martin guitar made in 1898 and later,
there is a serial number inside the guitar. This number can be used to determine the
exact year of manufacture. See the serial number section below for details.

A 1947 Martin 0-17T
Tenor guitar (4 strings).
Note the nicely grained
mahogany top. Tenor guitar
are not very collectible
though, as they were sold
from the 1930s to the 1950s
mostly to transition banjo
players to guitar!

Next Determine the Type of Guitar.
Most Martin guitars made are "flat top" models. That is, they have a round
sound hole in approximately the center of the flat top of the guitar, with a "pin" style bridge. Martin
also made some archtop models during the 1930s. These can have a round sound hole,
or two "f" style sound holes (one on each side of the top of the body), and
have an arched top, with a "trapeze" style bridge. Martin
also made ukuleles. If a guitar only has four strings (and is not a ukulele),
this is known as a Tenor guitar. Uke size instruments with ten string are Tiples.
Uke size instruments with eight strings are Taropatches. Martin also made mandolins,
which have eight strings.
To summarize:

4 Strings: a ukulele or tenor guitar.

10 Strings: Tiple.

Uke size with 8 strings: Taropatch

8 strings (not a Uke): Mandolin.

Archtop: an arched top to the guitar with either a round soundhole, or two "f" holes
on either side of the body. Trapeze style bridge. Made only during the 1930s.

Flattop: a flat top to the guitar, and a single round sound hole under the strings.
Pin style bridge.

Flat Top Guitar Body Size.
Martin flat top guitars were made in various sizes. The bigger the guitar body,
the better and more collectible the guitar. This is why guitar body size is
so important to identify on a Martin flat top guitar. Starting in October 1930, Martin
stamped the guitar body size right above the serial number inside the guitar. This makes identifying
body size on October 1930 and later guitar very easy. For flat top guitars made
before October 1930, the easiest way to figure out
the body size is to use the flat top guitar body size chart below.
Body sizes, pretty much from smallest to biggest, include O, OO, OOO, OM, D.

Martin Instrument Styles.
Nearly all Martin instruments come in different styles. The higher the style number,
the more fancy (and collectible) the instrument. Again starting in October 1930, Martin
stamped all flat top guitars with the style number, directly after the body size (and
above the serial number). Style numbers can range from 15 to 45. A letter can follow
the style number too, giving some additional info about the instrument. For example,
a "T" after the style number indicates a Tenor guitar. See the general specs
section for a full list of these suffixes.

Determine the Originality.
Originality of an instrument is very important. Modifications (any modifications),
are a bad thing in the eyes of a collector. This will greatly influence
value. Modifications can often be determined by looking at the model
specs for a particular year guitar in this web page, and compare to your instrument.
On flat top martins, the most common modifications are a replaced bridge, replaced
tuners, or replaced frets.

Finally, How does the Instrument Play?
On Martin guitars, this is a really big deal. Martins all seem to have a problem
with the "neck set" on many of their guitars before 1970. High string action is
the result, making the guitar very difficult to play. This can only be fixed
correctly by a "neck set" (removing the neck on the guitar, and refitting the
neck at a slightly increased angle, which lowers the string action). If done
correctly, this does not affect
the value of the guitar (and in fact can make it more valuable, as the guitar
is much more playable). Generally speaking, most players would agree if the
"string action" is more than 3/16 inch (5 mm) at the 12th fret,
the guitar needs a neck set. This measurement
is taken from the bottom of the low-E string, to the top of the 12th fret.

Regarding truss rods, all vintage Martin instruments post-1934 have *non-adustable*
truss rods (T rod). This means the neck better be straight, otherwise an expensive
repair will be in order. To check neck straightness on a guitar, first
tune the guitar to pitch. Then hold the low-E string down at the
1st and 14th frets. Note the distance between the bottom of the low-E
string, and the 7th fret. You should be able to put a medium guitar
pick in this space. Any more, and the neck is "bowed". Any less,
and the neck is "back bowed". Repeat this with the high-E string
(the same results should be seen; if not, the neck has a "twist" to it).

Introduction and Collectibility.

Martin has been making some of the best flat top acoustic guitars since the
mid 1800's. Martin's other lines of instruments (electrics, archtops,
mandolins) is not nearly as desirable or collectible as their flat top
models. Because of this, any models other than flat tops (such as Martin's
archtops and electrics) are not very collectible.

Brazilian rosewood on a 1965 D-28. Note the rich
color and wavey figuring which is typical of
Brazilian rosewood. Indian rosewood, as used
from late 1969 and later, is much paler in color;
not nearly as rich looking. Indian rosewood is also
very straight grained, without the figuring and
waveyness of Brazilian rosewood. Acoustically, they
sound nearly the same.

Flat top Martins from the 1840's to the 1920's represent the earliest
generation of the modern flat top design. They have great workmanship,
but small bodies designed for gut strings only. Because
of this, these models have limited appeal and hence are less collectible than
steel string models.

Twelve and fourteen fret steel string models from the mid 1920's to 1944
are the most collectible of all Martin instruments. They have excellent
craftsmenship, sound, and playability, and these model are of
great interest to collectors and players.
Some musicians prefer the sound and feel of 12 fret models, and these are
close in value to 14 fret models of the same size and period.
The larger size 14 fret 000 and "D" sizes from the 1930's are
considered by most collectors and musicians to
represent the golden era of the flat top Martin.
Note war-time models (1941 to
1944) aren't quite as desirable as the 1930's models. Lack of materials,
manpower, and general social uncertainty during the war contributed to this.

Flat tops from 1945 to 1969 are considered good quality and have good
sound, although they are not as collectible as the 1920's to 1944
steel string models. This is largely due to the change in bracing and
materials Martin started using in 1945. Rosewood models of Brazilian
rosewood are most collectible from this era. This is because
Brazilian rosewood was basically unavailable since 1970 due to export
problems. Because of this, these models are considered more collectible.

Martin D-35 from the 1970's.
Note the Indian rosewood's color
is much lighter and not as rich
as Brazilian rosewood. Also the
grain is much straighter and boring.
This three piece back was used on
D-35's to allow Martin to use
narrower rosewood that would
otherwise go to waste.

Flat tops from 1970 to present are considered to be excellent utility
instruments, but are not collectible. Staring in 1976, Martin
has been undergoing many changes with numerous reissues, new models,
limited editions, etc. Workmanship has improved greatly from the early
1970's, and Martin is now producing some of its best guitars in over 20
years. While not currently collector's items, these intruments have
excellent workmanship, sound, and playability.

Classical guitars by Martin are equal in craftsmenship to their steel
string models. But unfortunately, their sound and feel is not what
classical players seem to want. Therefore
they do not have the collectability of the steel string models.
I group Martin classical models to include the "NY" series and gut string
models made from the 1930's and later.

1965 Martin 00-21 NY model. A classical model
because of the open peghead style, no fingerboard
inlays, and bracing for gut (nylon) strings only.
The Style 21 model is a combination of the
Style 18 and Style 28 models: The body uses
rosewood (like a 28), and a style 18 neck
(with no "ice cream cone"). This particular
model has nice Brazilian rosewood. The back of
the (style 18 like) neck can clearly been seen
with no "ice cream cone" volute.

Acoustic archtop by Martin, again, have craftsmenship that matches
their flat top instruments. But as with classical model, Martin archtops
do not have the look, feel, or sound of traditional archtop models as
defined by Gibson or Epiphone. They may be quite rare, but they are not
collectible, especially compared to Martin flat tops.

Ukuleles by Martin are considered amoung the best ukes made. Though ukes
in general aren't particularly valuable, Martin ukes are worth more than
most other makes.

Tenor guitars (4 strings) by Martin have little to no collectibility. Tenor guitars
were marketed as a way to get banjo players in the 1930s to the 1950s to convert
to guitar. There is very little need for this today, hence these four string
guitars have little value.

Electric guitars by Martin (any variety: flat top, archtop, solid body)
are not sought after and have little to no value.

Other Brands Made by Martin.

Since 1900, Martin did make guitars, mandolins and ukes for other brands and guitar studios. No, this was
not "common". Just because your guitar looks like a Martin, doesn't mean it is.
Even if your instrument is one of the brands listed below, that does NOT mean it
was necessarily made by Martin either! Just keep that in mind.

Bitting Special: Martin made some mandolins for this Bethlehem, PA teacher in 1916 to 1919.

Ditson: in 1917 to 1919, and 1923 to 1930, Martin made some guitars for
the Ditson company in Boston. Early models only have a "Ditson" stamp, later models
have both the "Ditson" and "Martin" stamps. The 1923 to 1930 models have Martin
serial numbers. Prior to this, 483 guitars of the original 1917 to 1919 series
have been documented.

Foden: In 1912 to 1917, Martin made guitars for concert guitarist William Foden.
These are similar to the standard Martin models, but have simple soundhole rings and
a 20 fret fingerboard (instead of 19). Made in sizes 0 and 00, the styles were similar
to Martin's Style 18, 21, 28, and a pearl trim model. Only 27 of these guitars
have been documented to date.

Jenkins: Martin made Style 1 and 2 ukes for this Kansas City mail order company.

Olcott-Bickford: 32 guitars made for this guitarist.

Paramount: Around 1930 Martin made about 36 guitars with strange construction.
A style 2 size body mounted into a larger rim and back of rosewood, small round
soundholes around a "lip" that joins the outer rims to the inner rims, no soundhole
in the top, 14 frets clear, dot fingerboard inlays to the 15th fret, rounded
peak peghead with standard Paramount banjo peghead inlay, banjo-style tuners, four
or six strings.

Schoenberg: In 1987 to 1994, Martin made some guitars similar to their OM-18, OM-28
OM-45, some 12 fret 000 models, and a few D models. The last Schoenberg/Martin was
made in October 1994, serial number 541742.

S.S. Stewart: Martin made ukes for this company in 1923 to 1925.

Rolando: In 1916 to 1918 Martin made 261 guitar (numbered 1 to 261),
and some later guitars with standard Martin serial numbers.

Vega: Martin bought Vega Banjos in 1970 and moved production to their
property in 1971. In 1979, Martin sold the Vega name. Some guitars were
made under the Vega name during this period (but they mostly made banjos).

Weymann: Around 1925 Martin made some Ukes for this company, but no guitars.

Wurlitzer: In 1922 to 1925, Martin made 297 standard Martin models (but
with a simplier soundhole rosette) for Wurlitzer. These have the Wurlitzer name
and model number on the back of the peghead.

As you can see, Martin did not make very many guitars for other companies.
So the chance that your non-Martin guitar is really a "Martin" is very unlikely!

Martin Serial Numbers (How to Find the Year).

All Martin guitars since 1898 (except solidbody electrics from the 1970s,
basses, and tiples) are numbered in consecutive order.
Ukuleles do not have serial numbers. Mandolins use a different
serial number system than guitars.
Martin guitar serial numbers start at 8000 in
1898 because Martin estimated they made 8000 instruments before 1898.

Model Numbers stamped above the Serial Number starting in 1930.
Starting in October 1930, Martin also stamped the model number just
above the serial number. Martin model numbers are straight forward too.
The first set of characters are the body size. Next there is a "-". The
last set of numbers are the ornamention style.

Left: The model and serial numbers, as seen through
the sound hole on the neck block of this 1950 D-28. Prior to
October 1930, the model is NOT stamped on the neck block (you have
to figure it out yourself!).Right: The model and serial numbers, as seen through the sound hole
of this 1944 D-18, serial number 90067. Notice the "1" in the "18" does
somewhat look like a "2". This confuses a lot of people who think their
style 18 guitar is a style 28. Also the "D" is sometimes confused for an "0".

On round hole martin guitars, the serial and model numbers are stamped on the
neck block inside the
instrument. The number can be seen by looking inside the sound hole. Look at
an angle towards the neck. All f-hole Martin archtops have their
serial and model numbers stamped on the inside center of the backstripe, roughly
under the shadow of the bridge (and best seen from the bass side "f" hole).

The numbers listed here show the LAST serial number
produced for that year. Martin produced all guitar serial number sequentially.
These serial number apply to all Martin guitars, flat top and arch top.
It does not apply to ukes (except for the first year, they do not have a
serial number). Does not apply to Martin mandolins either (they have their
own serial number system).

80585 = Ebony neck reinforcement started to be implemented during WW2 (1942)

83107 = Last pre-WW2 style 45 guitar (1942).

89926 = According to Martin, this is the
approximate last scalloped braced guitar made (late 1944). Though some models have been
seen after this number with scalloped braces, and before this number with tapered braces.
(For example #90014 appears to be the last D28 with scalloped braces,
and D-28 #88112 had tapered braces.)

90021 = Snowflakes on D28 discontinued (1944). This is an approximate serial#.

Martin Flat Top Body Sizes.

"Size" is the body size designation that Martin uses, as stamped inside the
guitar on the neck block starting in October 1930. All measurements are in
inches. "Frets" represents the frets clear of the body. "Introduced"
was the year of introduction. All sizes are in inches.

Certainly the most desirable of the Martin body size is the 000, 0M, and D sizes.
Many consider the 000 (and OM, which is essentially a 000)
to be the ultimate guitar size, where others feel the "D" size is the
best. It's personal preference. There are some interesting facts though about
the 000 and OM sizes.
(In Martin's 1934 catalogue, any flattop guitar that had a 14-fret neck
was named an "Orchestra Model", while the older
12-fret design was named a "Standard Model".)

The OM Body Size.
Martin's OM, or "Orchestra Model", available from 1929 to 1933,
has a rare combination of features. The joining of a long-scale (25.4") neck
with a small body makes it an extremely responsive
and playable guitar. In many ways the
OM models were the first truly modern flattop guitars.
They were the first Martins to have necks with 14 frets clear of the body.
The OM has a wide neck (1 3/4" as opposed to the dreadnought's 1 11/16")
which appeals to fingerstyle players. The string spacing is slightly greater at
the bridge than on other models too, although not as wide as a classical guitars.
The neck shape of old OMs is a bit unique too, although this is
variable since each neck was handmade. OMs have a
wide but thin backshaped V-shape which is very comfortable.
Finally, the OM's smaller body size makes the guitar easy to hold,
especially in the seated position. Compared this to the
D dreadnought which is larger both in body depth and width
(dreadnought players seem to use straps and stand up so the
guitar's size is less of a factor).

The OM model came about due to
Perry Bechtel, who was a virtuoso plectrum banjo player.
Perry came to see the Martin family in the early summer of 1929.
He wanted Martin to make him a guitar which he could
easily adapt his banjo style (remember by the late 1920s guitar was
the hot instrument, replacing the banjo). He requested 15 frets clear of the body
and a 27" scale in Martin's largest standard body size
(which at that time was the 000, with 12 frets clear of the neck).
The 27" scale would retain the fret spacing of the plectrum banjo,
and 15 frets clear of the body would closely resemble the length
of a banjo neck.

Martin began with a 000-size guitar, which had 12 frets
clear of the body. They rejected the 27" scale idea,
as this would have been impractical since
the high string tension on a guitar would have made the instrument hard to play.
Instead they used a 25.4" scale length.
To accommodate Bechtel's request for 15 frets clear of the body, they
squared the body's shoulders to add 1 5/16" to the clear part of the fingerboard.
This allowed 14 frets clear of the body.
Since they felt aesthetically the bridge should remain halfway
between the center of the soundhole and the endblock, there really
was no way to make the guitar have 15 frets clear.
The bottom bout was reshaped slightly to
match the new shape of the upper bout (note when the 000 went to 14 frets
in 1934 it retained this initial OM body shape).

To make the OM more suitable for banjo players, the neck was made narrower
and less V-shaped than previous Martins. The fingerboard was narrowed
from the then-standard 1 7/8" to 1 3/4" at the nut.
In addition to make the OM more banjo-like and to give it a
distinctive look, banjo style tuning pegs were used. To do these,
the headstock had to be made solid, instead of slotted.
Previously Martin headstocks had all been slotted with tuners attached
to the side mounted on a single plate for three tuners. No single-unit
guitar tuners were available, so banjo pegs were a natural.

In late 1929, Martin built a prototype batch of six OM guitars.
The very first of these had pyramid bridges and no pickguard.
Martin soon realized that with the
vigorous strumming required in a band setting, a pickguard would
be required. Hence all OMs after the prototype batch had
a small teardrop-shaped pickguard.
The new OMs were not highly sucessful. They sold, but not as well
as Martin had hoped.
In 1933 the OM designation was dropped and was now called the "000" model.
But infact the 1933 "000" models were the same as the 1933 "OM" models,
retaining the OM body style and 14 fret neck.
Then in 1934 the standard 000 models were modified
to the shorter 24.9" scale
(for unknown reasons, as the 12 fret 000 body had a 25.6" scale
length its inception in 1902 to its demise in 1931).
Yet the OM's longer scale was a major factor in the OM's tone.
The strings on an OM must be tuned to a higher tension to get concert pitch.
This extra tension translates into more drive on the top, hence providing more
volume and tone.
The OM's scalloped braces and a small maple bridgeplate give the OM
a great sound. Although these features were common to other Martin models of the
time, the OM's top brace under the fingerboard was missing. This design
is unique to OMs making the top very lightly braced. This does lead
to some problems with cracks in the upper bout along the side of the fingerboard,
but it also contributes to the great sound of the OM models.

Martin Flat Top Production Years by Model.

This should give you an idea of when the majority of the production for
any one model occured (majority meaning more than 5 instruments per year).
Note this does not mean a model can not exist outside of these years -
it certainly can. Just these are the years recorded by Martin in their
ledgers. Note this list (for the most part) does not go past 1969.

The "Martin" name stamped in the back of a
1920's Martin. This model had no peghead decal
declaring it was a Martin, so this stamp sufficed
on the back of the peghead.

Martin Stamps, Peghead Logos, Labels.
Older 1800s Martins are a challange to date (since they don't have
a serial number like 1898 and later Martins).
A "New York" stamp does not immediately suggest that the Martin guitar
is from the 1830s for example. To accurately date pre-1898 Martins you must be familiar
design and ornamentation appointments and the changes that took place in each model
throughout the 1800s. Most useful though is the stamp, but you can only
use the stamp on the INSIDE of the body on it's center backstrip (visible through the
soundhole) to date a guitar. And even then you can only date to a period (and not
to an exact date). For example if it says on the center back strip,
"C.F. Martin, New York", then the guitar is pre-1867. If it says,
"C.F. Martin & Co., New York", it is between 1867 and 1897.
Note 1860-1890s Martins have a date (year of manufacture)
penciled on the underside of the top. Check with a mirror, looking just below the
soundhole and between the braces.

Mid 1934: "CF Martin & Co, Est. 1833" decal on front of peghead with black border
around the letters (the decal used both gold and black colors). Silkscreen logo no longer used.

Mid 1935: Stamp "C.F. Martin & Co, Narareth Pa" on back of peghead no longer used
(in the 1932-1934 era both the front silkscreen and back stamp are used.)
The back peghead stamp was discontinued between serial number 59044 and 61181.
(Interestingly the neck block stamping with model serial numbers started between Oct.1 and
Oct.15th, 1930.)

1940-1942: Some style 15 and style 17 models have a tortoise shell celluloid peghead veneer
(instead of the normal rosewood veneer), with a decal "Martin" logo. Seen mostly in 1941, the
model 0-15 seems to this option the most. This celluloid peghead veneer is the same as the
pickguard material.

1946 to present: Sitka spruce (darker than Adirondack). The change to Sitka happened
on the larger "D" models first (in very early 1946). It took Martin a little while to use
up all the smaller pieces of older Adirondack red spruce, hence the change to Sitka
happend slower on the smaller body models. This is also the reason multiple piece Adi red spruce
tops are sometimes seen on 0,00,000 bodies in 1946.

1950s: occasional Adirondack red spruce.
In 1952 or 1953, rumor has it Martin bought a large supply of Engelmann
spruce from government surplus. Though Martin
preferred Adirondack Red Spruce, it was no longer available after the mid-1940s
because all of the large trees had been decimated. Martin would
have liked to switch from Sitka to Engelmann because he felt that
Engelmann was closer to Adi Red Spruce than Sitka was. He could not however
find anyone who was cutting Engelmann commercially, so they went back to Sitka.

Present: some with Engelman spruce.

"Split Diamond" style inlays as used
on pre-1945 style 21 and 28 guitars.

Rosewood Back and Sides (Style 21 and higher)

pre-late 1969: Brazilian rosewood (ended with serial# 254497).

1969: slab-cut Brazilian rosewood instead of the more traditional and
desirable (in terms of appearance, strength, and warp-resistance) quartersawn rosewood.

late 1969 to present: Indian rosewood. First Indian Rosewood model was a D-21
serial number 254498. Note even though the cut off for Brazilian rosewood was
serial number 254497, some high-end models like the D-45 and D-41 did appear after
this serial number with Brazilian rosewood bodies. For example:
254498: first Martin with Indian rosewood (D21).
255037: D12-45 with Indian rosewood.
255717: first D-41 model with Indian Rosewood.
256366: first D-45 model with Indian Rosewood.

Occasionally (and rare) Brazilian rosewood shows on on random models in 1970
(probably from leftover rosewood). For example 265783 and 265941 (both 1970 D-28 models).
Also some D-35 models with mixed woods in the 3-piece back like number
258962 which had a Brazilian rosewood center wedge in the back.

Brazilian rosewood is more figured than the very straight grained Indian rosewood. Also
Brazilian is usually a dark redish brown, where Indian is a light brown.

Back removed from a Martin showing the neck block and two top braces.

Bracing

1840s to 1938: Scalloped "X" bracing, position of the cross of
the "X" bracing one inch from edge of soundhole, aka "forward braced" or "advanced bracing".

1927: bracing dimensions and top thickness increases to accomodate steel strings.
Note this is not a "for sure" rule.

Late 1938: Scalloped "X" bracing with "rear shifted bracing", where
position of the "X" moved further than one inch from soundhole (exact
measurement varies, for example: a 1941 D-18 has 1 7/8" distance).
So the X-braces were moved about 7/8" further down. And the tone bars were angled more
parallel with the length of the guitar and further apart.
These late-1938 to late-1944 guitars had deeper scalloped braces
than the 1938 and prior forward or advanced braced guitars. This gives the
late 1938 to late 1944 Martin guitars improved bass response (don't
let anyone tell you that war-time Martins are not as good as
pre-1939 Martins!)

mid-1939 Popscicle bracing on D body sizes.
See the above picture for what the popsicle or T-6 or upper transverse graft brace is.
The popsicle brace was added to the underside of the top of the guitar, below the fingerboard.
The brace was added to help prevent top cracks alongside the fingerboard.
Since the first D body size was made in about 1934, problems obviously came about
and Martin added the brace by 1939. The brace does not appear in pre-1939 Martin
D-sizes, but transitioned in around 1939, and is present in all 1940 and later
D models. Without the popsicle brace, the top is attached only by the strength
of the spruce fibers and a 1/2" x 2" glue area where the top overlays
the soundhole #1 brace. With the popsicle brace there is an
additional 1" x 2" glue surface directly under the fingerboard. Unfortunately
the popsicle brace can deaden the sound of the upper bout area of the soundboard,
and the popsicle brace doesn't always prevent the top from cracking
along the fingerboard either.
As people search for why the old Martins sound so good, they examine every
aspect of them and the popsicle brace usually enters the conversation.
Here's some data on popsicle braces:
1938 D-18 #71539 rear-shifted X-brace, no popsicle brace.
1939 D-28 #71968 rear-shifted X-brace, no popsicle brace.
1939 D-18 #72618 1 3/4" neck width, no popsicle brace.
1939 D-18 #72702 1 3/4" neck width, popsicle brace (stamp 23 May 1939).
All 12 fret Martins have the popscicle stick brace too.

1939: The #1 brace inside near the neck block changes from 5/16" wide
to 1/2" wide, making it roughly twice as wide. This happened
at the same time as the popscicle brace addition.
The neck block thickness was also reduced by 1/4".
About the same time neck width reduced from 1 3/4" to 1 11/16" at the nut,
and the bridge spacing reduced from 2 5/16" to 2 1/8".

Late 1944: According to Martin, the last scalloped braced Martin in
late 1944 was approximately serial number 89926.
Though some models have been seen after this number with scalloped braces, and before this number with tapered braces.
(For example #90014 appears to be the last D28 with scalloped braces, and D-28 #88112 had tapered braces.)

Late 1944 to 1976: Heavy straight "X" bracing (not scaloped),
position of the "X" still further than one inch from soundhole
(exact measurement varies, for example:
a 1958 000-18 has 1 3/4" distance, and a 1967 000-28 has 1 13/16" distance).

Late 1944 to about 1949: the bracing was tapered. This stopped in the
late 1940s, and was a progressive thing. So unlike scaloped bracing that had
a definate endpoint, tapered braces evoloved into "straight" braces by 1949.
This is why 1945-1949 Martins are still highly regarded
as "better" than their 1950s counterparts, but not as good as the 1944 and
prior scalloped braced guitars.

1948: Bridgeplates are no longer notched into the X-braces.

1949-1976: Straight braces (neither scalloped or tapered.)

Circa 1960: X-bracing moves back up to 1 1/2" from soundhole.

1964: Hot hide glue phased out with the move to the new factory.
Hot hide glue continued to be used to attach the top to the body.

1976 to present: Scalloped bracing re-introduced on some models
(HD-28, D-45 in 1985, D-41 in 1987). Also one inch "X" bracing used again
in the late 1980s on many "D" models.

The pre-1945 braces have a scooped or "scalloped" profile,
making them lighter in design and weight. Functionally this means a greater
vibrating surface (the guitar's top), and provides stronger bass response.
Why did the Martin Company change from the lighter scalloped braces to heavier braces?
The answer is in the strings. Many guitarists of
that time were using heavier gauge strings, and these heavier
strings were tough on the lightly constructed scalloped-braced Martins
(especially on D-models with the long 25.4" scale). Martin
didn't make a heavier guitar to withstand the extra
string tension, so they compensated by adding more rigid (non-scalloped) braces
to the guitar's top.

The insides of two Martin guitar tops, showing scalloped
braces (top) versus non-scalloped straight braces (bottom).
Pics are showing the underside of the top, right beneath
the bridge (notice the bridge plate) and looking towards
the end block. Note the straight braced picture has a
Rosewood bridge plate, meaning this guitar is 1968 or later.
1946 Martin D-28 with tapered braces:
1955 Martin D-28 with straight braces:

Flat Top Bridge Plates
A maple bridge plate is the most desirable. The use of rosewood
for the bridge plate starting in April 1968 is largely to blame
for the lack of "good sound" on 1968 to 1988 Martins.

1927: bridgeplate becomes thicker on most models to accomodate steel strings.
Note this is not a "for sure" rule.

1932: bridgeplate were enlarged from 1" to 1 3/8" on all
belly bridge styles (style 18 and higher). Style 17 (mahogany top) models that
didn't get a belly bridge stayed with the smaller 1" bridge plate.

Pre-April 1968: Maple bridge plate on all models.
Serial number 235585 was the last maple bridgeplates on all guitar models (4/68).

April 9, 1968 to 1987: Rosewood bridge plate on all models
starting with serial number 235586. This had a somewhat dramatic change in
sound for all Martin models, and is really the end-point in collectibility
for many people.

1969: with serial number 242454 a larger rosewood bridge plate was used on all guitars.
This made sound even worse (but probably made the Martin repair & warranty department happy
as the guitars were less prone to bridge damage).

1976: HD-28 uses maple bridge plate.

1988 to present: Maple bridge plate re-introduced on all models with serial number 478093.

Flat Top Pin Bridges.Left: Pre-1965 style belly bridge with a "long saddle"
which extends past the "dips" in the bridge.
Note the "snake eye" bridge pins with tortoise
shell dots inlayed into them. These are used
on style 28 models.Right: Rectangle style bridge with "pyramid" ends.
Not all pyramid bridges have straight saddles.
Ivory pyramid bridge on a 1885 0-34 guitar (pic by PhotoRC).

Flat Top Pin Bridges
As a conservative approach to using steel string,
one thing is pretty much for sure; if a Martin came from the factory with a
Belly bridge, it is braced for steel strings. If it has a rectangle
bridge (and was made before 1929),
the bracing needs to be checked by a qualified repair person
to determine if the guitar's bracing can handle steel strings.
My personal opinion is if it's a style 18 or higher and has a rectangle bridge
and was made before 1930, it's not really made for steel strings.
Though 1927 is generally thought of as the year when most models
were braced for steel strings, 1927-1929 models
could be braced for either steel or gut strings. So before
putting on steel strings on a 1927-1929 Martin, have it check out by
a good repair person. They will check the top's firmness, bracing dimensions,
and bridge plate thickness.

1920s: Martin transitions away from pyramid long bridge to standard
rectangle bridge on style 18 and style 28 models. Happens gradually with
the style 17 series never having a pyramid style bridge or transitioning earlier
to the rectangle bridge. Note that all pyramid bridges have a straight saddle.

1927: Generally thought of as the year all models were braced for steel strings.
Note this is not a "for sure" rule.

Pre-1929: All size 1 and larger guitars, from any year, have 6" long pyramid bridges.
All size 2 or 2 1/2 Martins have 5 3/4" to 5 7/8" long pyramid bridges.
Most pyramid bridges before 1900 are roughly 7/8" wide, and most after 1900 are 1" wide.
The average length of the wings on most pyramid bridges is roughly 1 3/8"
During the 1880's and 1890's, however, there is more variation,
as much as from 1 1/4" to 1 1/2"
On the earlier 7/8" wide bridges, the wings have a very long, narrow,
elegant appearance, with a gentle curve to the inside angles of the
pyramids, that looks nothing at all like the harsh angles found on many copies.
There is no difference between the dimensions of ivory and ebony bridges from the same period.

1929 and earlier: Rectangle bridge or pyramid bridge (on some style 28 and higher models).
By late 1929 the pyramid bridge was no longer used and the rectangle bridge was only
used on style 17 and lower. Some OM models were the last to use the pyramid bridge
as late as 1930.

1939: Neck width reduced from 1 3/4" to 1 11/16" at the nut,
and the bridge spacing reduced from 2 5/16" to 2 1/8".

1965: Shorter bridge slot on all bridges, known as the "drop-in" bridge saddle.
Pre-1965 bridges are known as "long saddle" bridges.

"Braced for Steel Strings."
When talking about 1920s Martin guitars, you hear people
say this a lot (especially if they are trying to sell you
a guitar!) Unfortunately there is no definative way to tell
if a 1920s Martin is capable of handling steel strings.
The term, "braced for steel strings", though is inaccurate.
A better way to put it would be, "built for steel strings".
For a 1920s Martin to be built for steel strings there were several
small changes - the top, braces and bridge plate are all slightly thicker.
Can you see this inside the guitar?
For the most part, no, unless you really know what you
are looking for (frankly I can't tell). So how do you
know if a 1920s Martin is built for steel?

A 1927 Martin 0-21 with a Rectangle bridge and steel strings.
Notice the steel strings are not pulling the top/bridge.

First the lower line models were
built for steel strings first. Like the style 17 in 1922,
and the style 18 in 1924. Pretty much all models were
built for steel by 1927-1929. But unfortunately there was no
definative serial number or time line for any 1920s Martin
style. This makes it difficult to determine if any
particular 1920s Martin guitar is really built for steel strings.
Martin didn't just implement steel string design at any
one definative point. It was a transition, and apparently
a very slow transition. And special orders for gut or steel
complicated things.

The conservative way
to tell if a Martin is built for steel strings is the
bridge. If it's a style 18 or higher and has a belly
bridge (and does not have 'banjo' tuners like early OM models), it's pretty much built
for steel strings (can't use this indicator on style 17 and lower
as these models never used a belly brige until the 1950s).
Why? Since Martin didn't implement the belly bridge until late 1929,
it's a very conservative indicator that the guitar is built for steel.
The belly bridge was the last
thing they did to make steel strings usable on their guitars
(though certainly many models with rectangle bridges can
handle steel strings too.)
They started to implement the belly bridge in 1929, and all
style 18 models and higher had the belly bridge by 1930.
Therefore using the belly bridge as
a steel string indicator is a very safe idea (assuming
the bridge is original and it's not an OM). Now can steel strings be used
on pre-1930 models with a pyramid or rectangle bridge?
Maybe, but it's just not as definative and caution should
be heeded ("silk and steel" strings would be a good and safe compromise).
Note early OM models with banjo style tuners generally should be
strung up 'lightly'.

Here's some general 'rules' to consider in regards to using steel strings.
But remember all 1920s Martins should be evaluated individually by a good repair person,
checking the top around the bridge for firmness and pull.

Martins made before 1922 were not built for steel strings.

Most Martins built after 1927 should be able to handle light gauge steel strings.

Style 17 built 1922 and later should be able to handle light gauge steel strings.

Style 18 built 1924 and later should be able to handle light gauge steel strings.

Style 21 and Style 28 guitars built after 1927 should be able to handle light gauge steel strings.

OM styles with banjo tuners should be evaluated with care (light guage steel strings at most).

All styles built 1934 and later should be able to handle medium gauge steel strings.

Note the C and G model Martins were specifically
built for nylon or gut strings. Also the NY models built in the 1960s, the
earliest of which shipped with nylon strings, but all NY models were built
to handle light gauge steel strings.

Keep in mind that the year the guitar was built is no guarantee that any
individual guitar is in the optimum condition required to handle
steel strings. Any Martin should be evaluated with care,
and a top that lifts significantly in the bridge area or this is not firm,
is a sign that lighter strings should be used. Or that the guitar is in need of
attention by a qualified repair person.

Conpensated Bridges.
With the advent of belly bridges in 1931, Martin started to compensate their
saddle placement. What this does is make for better string intonation. However
early pyramid bridge have straight saddles, mounted 1/8" back from the front edge of the bridge.
(with the center of the pin holes 3/8" from the back of the saddle.)
The 1931 to 1933 belly bridges have a compensated saddle placed 1/8" from
the front of the bridge on the treble side, and 3/16" from the bass side.
Then on belly bridges in the mid 1930s Martin moved the bass end of the saddle back to
1/4" from the front of the bridge.

Bridge Pins.
Bridge pins prior to 1945 did not have string slots. There is a slight seam seen
in the round head (hard to see but it's there).
The bridge pin round head diameter from 1931 until mid-1939 was about 0.320".
In mid-1939 the round head was reduced to about 0.300", and this size was used
until the unslotted pins ended in 1945. The shaft size was slightly increased
at this time too. The pre-1939 style pins have a more
bulbous head, where the 1939-1945 style's head is more slender.
The pin taper is about 5 degrees, and the diameter under the collar is about 0.225".
The pins are made of hard celluloid. Several companies have reissued these old
style pins.

Rectangle Bridges.
After steel strings were the norm, rectangle bridges were still used on the
lower end Martin models and smaller body models. Bridges don't last forever
unfortunately, and the rectangle models are easy to reproduce. Hence here's
some specs that may help you determine if a rectangle bridge is original.
A Martin rectangle bridge should be 6" long and 1" (or slightly less) wide.
The top of the bridge should have close to a 16" radius lengthwise.
The tallest point of the bridge should be between the A & D strings,
and the lowest at the high E string. The wing thickness is about .095".

Flat Top Pickguards

pre-1928: no pickguard.

1928 to 1967: Tortoise grain celluloid pickguards glued directly to the
top, clear finish then applied over top and pickguard. Due to extreme shrinkage
of celluloid and lacquer, this often causes a "pickguard crack" in the top.
Pickguards became "standard" in 1931 on most models, but some martin guitars had them as early
as 1928. The OM series was the first model to consistently have a pickguard in 1930.

1967 to 1980's: Black plastic pickguard glued directly to the top, clear
finish then applied over top and pickguard. Due to shrinkage of the plastic
pickguard and lacquer (though the black guard didn't shrink as much as
celluloid), this often causes a "pickguard crack" in the top too.

1984 to present: Tortoise grain celluloid pickguard, double-sided
taped to finished top with no finish on pickguard (to accelerate shrinkage).
Pickguard is now independent from the top and "gives" and can move without
cracking the top.

Left: Herringbone binding as used prior to 1947 on styles 21 and 28 guitars.Right:"Zipper" backstrip as used on pre-1947 style 28 models.
Also note the nice Brazilian rosewood used.

The herringbone purfling (binding) was discontinued on style 28 guitars in 1947.
The binding was made
in pre-World War II Germany and was not replaceable from American sources.
When the stockpile ran out in early 1947, D-28s (and all style 28 guitars) were
bound with a new decoration scheme of alternating black
and white celluloid (originally used on the Martin archtop C-2 model).
Hence the term "herribone D-28" or "bone 28" is heard amoung Martin
collections, signifying a pre-1947 style 28 Martin guitar.

Glue
In the fall of 1964, it's generally accepted that hide glue was replaced with
white polyvinyl acetate PVA glue (Elmer's) after the move to the new Martin build facility.
(But hide glue was still used until the mid-seventies for gluing tops to the rim
and in some other situations.) A notation was written in Grant Remaley's personal memos
on Sept 29, 1964 indicating Martin was starting to use "cold" glue.
It is generally thought the type of glue used does affect the sound of the guitar.
Starting some time in the 1980s Martin started switching from white glue to
yellow aliphatic resin (titebond).

Left: The neck set on a 1930's Martin guitar. Note the "T" style frets.Right: Bar style frets. Later "T" style frets stay in the
fingerboard better because of the "barbs" or tangs on the side of the "T".

Neck and Frets

1830s to 1916: two piece cedar neck with grafted peghead and "long"
volute (which gave more glue surface for the separate peghead).
Some models also used a three piece neck with no volute and a
separte "ice cream cone" neck heel and clock style key fastening method.

1916 to present: One piece mahongany neck. Style 28 and higher now have a
shorter volute (which is mostly ornamental).

1929 (OM models): 14 fret neck introduced on flat tops.

1929-1934: All the new 14 fret neck models have a 1 3/4" wide neck width at the nut
(prior to this all 12 fret neck models had a 1 7/8" wide neck width).

Slot Peghead vs. Solid Peghead (steel string models):
Most models converted from a 12 fret slot peghead to a 14 fret solid
peghead around 1934 (except the OM series, which went 14 fret in 1929/1930 and
the style 17 and 18 models which were available in 14 fret style in 1932).
Basically if the guitar has a 14 fret neck, it will have a solid peghead.
If it has a 12 fret neck, it will have a slot peghead. Note there were
some post-WW2 gut string and classical models (i.e. 0-16NY)
and some post-WW2 special order steel string guitars (i.e. 1967-1993 D-18S)
which always have a slotted peghead.

Late 1934: "T" frets (aka tang frets) replace Bar frets on flat tops.
(Most other guitar makers had stopped using bar frets much earlier.)
Martins Hawaiian style guitars retain bar frets until at least 1938.
The first Martin model to use T frets was the 00-17,
introduced on a lot of 00-17 guitars #57305-57329 in 1934.
Initially the first T-frets were special ordered by Martin to
contain 30% nickel ("normal" fret wire is 18% nickel, 65% copper and 17% zinc).
The higher percent of nickel, the harder the fret wire.
This special 30% nickel fret wire was ordered from the
Horton-Angell Company (the inventor and patent holder for barbed alternating "fish hook"
T frets) on 8-31-1934 in an 100 pound lot, along with 100 pounds of "normal" 18% nickel fret wire.
It's unclear if Martin ever used 30% nickel fret wire after this, because
it was more expensive and not the norm.
The same instruments also introduced the "T" neck reinforcement bar.
Shortly thereafter T frets were standard.
(Like with steel strings in 1922, Martin tried these innovations first
on inexpensive low-end models to minimize financial damage in
case the experiment was a failure.)

1939: switch from 1 3/4" wide nut-width to the narrower 1 11/16" at serial #72740
for all non-slotted peghead 000 and D models.

After 1916, only Style 28 and higher has an "ice cream cone" style volute on the
back of the one-piece neck. Styles 21 and lower lack this.

All years: Martin painted the neck and body of their flattop guitars
apart and separately when made. After both are dried and rubbed out,
then the neck is glued to the body. Because of this, there should
never be any finish in the seam between the neck and body.

Neck Truss Rod.

1928-ish: Ebony neck reinforcement under fingerboard for strength.

Late 1934: Steel "T" bar. Thickness varies, but generally speaking
both sections of the T is 0.125", width and height is 0.525" (kind of like
Flexible Flyer sled runners). The bar is glued into the neck with Hide glue.

1945/1946: Steel T bar again used sparatically (varies between ebony and steel during these years.)

1947: Steel T bar.

1967: Square steel bar.

1985: Adjustable (inside body) steel truss rod.

Left: Back of a post-war 000-28 Martin. Note the Grover G98 or
Waverly tuners (pointy base plates), and the "ice cream cone" volute.Middle: Back of a D-18 war-time Martin. Note the tuners
have plastic buttons, as used during WW2. Also no
"ice cream cone" volute on styles 21 and lower models.Right: Back of a 1946 D-28. Note the different open
back Grover G-93 tuners, and the "ice cream cone" volute.

1934 Martin 000-18 with Grover G98 tuners. Note the riveted gear and the base plates
that are not pointy (cut flat), and the slot head mount screws.

Original slotted peghead Grover tuners on a 1931 Martin 00-21.

Tuners.
I am not completely sure this tuner info is completely accurate. Sorry about that...
Remember as a general rule Grovers were used on style 21 and above, and Klusons were
used on style 18 and lower. There are some exceptions (like during 1940 to 1945, and pre-1930s).
On pre-war Grover tuners, there are basically two types used on Martins:
G-93 (round button 'butterbean') and G-98 (scalloped buttons, aka "Sta-Tite").
Both came in 6:1 and 12:1
tuning ratios, with 12:1 coming about in 1938 (and replacing the 6:1 ratio).
The post-1938 12:1 ratio Grovers can be
always be identified since they combine the thin seamed tuner
buttons with the long pointed baseplate, and the tuner gear
is screw mounted. The 1938 and prior Grover G98 tuners
have a thin seamed button combined
with the a square tipped baseplate, and always had the
6:1 ratio. They also had the riveted tuner gear.
Ater WW2 the G98 was reintroduced with pointy baseplates and a screw mounted
gear, and this was copied by Waverly,
Grover, Schaller, etc after the war.
Also Martin used original Waverly tuners (open back, rounded base tips, butterbean buttons)
after WW2 on 00 and 000 and some D guitars style 18
(and some 28) in the late 1940s and 1950s.

1916: Gear wheel above worm gear, ivoroid buttons.

1925: Gear wheel below worm gear, ivoroid buttons.

1929: On slotted peghead style 21 and above used Grovers.
These had an hourglass shaped string shaft with the shaft fitting into a
metal bushing in the inner (center) wall of the peghead. The tuner gears
were peaned to the shafts rather than screwed. The tuner buttons had the
familiar Grover clover shape.

1929: Grover planetary banjo tuners on OM models only. Discontinued 1931 in
favor of the open back standard Grover tuner.

1947: Open back Grover Sta-tites on 0, 00, 000 models style 21 and lower.
These post-WW2 open back Grovers have thin seamed buttons and the
pointed baseplates which were never used on the pre-war open back Grovers.
Also all the pre-war thin seamed button tuners were 6:1 ratio.
The post-war tuners (and the thick-button open Grovers after 1937) were 12:1 ratio
This makes post-war open back Grovers more
easily identifible. Otherwise the post-war Grovers are direct drop-in
replacements for the pre-war versions.

1947: Original Waverly tuners (open back, rounded base tips, butterbean buttons)
after WW2 on 00 and 000 and some D guitars style 18
(and some 28) in the late 1940s and 1950s. Grover G-98 (post-war version) used
on many smaller model Martins thru the 1950s.

Cases.
Looking at the 1937 Martin catalog, Martin
offered three levels of cases. Though they weren't badged as "Martin", they
were certainly factory supplied and optional.
Quoting from the catalog, using the D-28's price of $100 as a relative price
marker, the cases offered in dreadnought size were:

When Martin turned to jobbers rather than direct sales, more variation in
cases took place. Depending on what part of the
country you bought your Martin, the jobber would supply a similar range
of cases - chipboard, hardshell, or deluxe hardshell, from the case
manufacturer of their choice. So cases on old Martins can vary greatly.
This changed in 1972 with the blue thermoplastic case which was
included with the sale of all new Martins.

Martin Summary Timeline.
Mike (AKA elephantfan85) put this together, and it takes most of the
info above and summarizes it into a single Martin timeline.

1920's Martin transitions away from pyramid long bridge to standard
long bridge on 18 & 28 series. Happens gradually starting in the
early 1920's. 17 series either never had pyramid bridge or
transitioned earlier.

1922-1923, Martin makes guitars for Wurlitzer. Some lack Martin
Serial #'s or markings of any kind.

1929 18+ series Martins fully switched over to nitro cellulose laquer
finish. Transition started in 1926 with O-17H according to Longworth.

1934 Most models switch to 14 fret clear of body and non slothead.
Sometime around here Martin starts putting the Matin decal on
the front of the peghead. For a short period of time they
continue to stamp the back of the peghead as well.

1934 Martin ends their use of bar frets on most models. (Most other
guitar makers had done so around the end of the 19th century.)
Martin Hawaiian style guitars retain bar frets until at least 1938.

1939 The #1 brace, inside near the neck block changes from 5/16ths of an
inch wide to 1/2 inch wide, making it roughly twice as wide.

1944 last scalloped brace guitar was approximately #89926.
Though some models have been seen after this number with scalloped braces,
and before this number with tapered braces.

1945 Either Adirondack Red Spruce or Sitka for tops

1946 Sitka spruce used exclusively on the tops

1947 Last Herringbone D-28 #98233 in 1947

1947 Kluson deluxe tuners appear

1948 Sealed Kluson tuners appear

1953 "magic" spruce? Luthier Dana Bourgeois did an interview with C. F. Martin III in 1984.
The interview was in preparation for an article by Eric Schoenberg
and Bob Green on the history of the OM model and was published in
the March 1985 issue of Guitar Player.
Bourgeois was asked to sit in on the interview, and in the last
two paragraphs of his recollections especially interesting:
"One footnote that I do remember distinctly is that Mr. Martin said
that in '52 or '53 the Martin Co. bought a large supply of Engelmann
spruce in the form of government surplus of building material. Though
he preferred Red Spruce, it was no longer available after the mid-40s
because all of the large stands had been decimated. Mr. Martin would
have liked to switch from Sitka to Engelmann because he felt that
Engelmann was closer to Red Adirondack Spruce than Sitka was. He could not, however,
find anyone who was cutting Engelmann commercially, so they went back to Sitka."
This nugget of information caught my attention because for many years I
Of course, aside from the color of the tops, the anecdote does not in
itself prove anything. But it at least suggests how the story might have
gotten started.

1958 Style D28 gets Grover rotomatic tuners

1964 (summer) - It's generally accepted that hide glue was replaced with
aliphatic resin (titebond) after the move to the new Martin facility.
(But hide glue was still used until the mid-seventies for gluing tops and backs.)

1969 Brazillian rosewood is replaced by Indian. The first Indian guitars
were four D-28's ser# 243644-47. The change in regular production may
have started with #254498, though I've also heard that the number
varied by model number, possibly as follows:

D21 #254498

D12-45 #255037

D41 #255717

D45 #256266

There have been two documented 1970 Brazilian
rosewood D-28's, which are anomalies. The first one was #265783, which was retopped with red
spruce in 1993. The second one is serial number 265941.
There are several D-35's with mixed woods in the 3-piece back.
Like D-35 #258962, which has a Brazilian rosewood center wedge in the back.
Note some post-1969 Martins have some Brazilian rosewood, in the bridge,
bridgeplate, fingerboard, or peghead veneer.

1972 Starting in 1972 Martin includes cases in the base price of most/all of their
guitars. Prior to this they cost extra, and thus you'll see many different
cases with Martins before this time. It is possible that the thermoplastic
cases were the first ones Martin offered as part of the base price as they
were first offered around this time.

2000 HD28LSV changed top wood & braces from Adirondack spruce to Sitka
spruce after serial number 737277. This happened in May of 2000.

2001 first use of Micarta fingerboards and bridges on standard production 16 Series GT models

2003 Martin converts from glued in to drop in long saddles. Happens before serail # 942xxx
Glued in saddles have square/straight ends, dropin have rounded.

2003 Martin starts producing guitar necks with "wings". Basically
The pegheads have wood splices on the portions that stick
out. This is not easily visible from the front due to
the peghead veneer. As with many other changes, this one is
made to preserve dwindling wood supplies. In this case Mahogany.

2005 Martin switches to bone nuts and saddles on many models.
2005 Martin starts using Spanish Ceder in many necks rather then Mahogany.

More Info on a Martin Playability (Neck Sets and Bridges).
The only proper way to make a "high string action" Martin guitar play correctly
is to do a "neck set". This repair involves
removing the neck on the guitar, and refitting the neck at a slightly increased
angle, which lowers the string action. If done correctly, this does not affect the
value of the guitar (and in fact can make it more valuable, as the guitar is much more
playable). Generally speaking, most players would agree if the "string action" is more
than 3/16 inch (5 mm) at the 12th fret, the guitar needs a neck set.
This measurement is taken from
the bottom of the low-E string, to the top of the 12th fret.

This is a somewhat expensive and delicate repair.
But it is a repair often needed on many vintage Martins.
A proper neck set not only makes the guitar play better,
but also will make it *sound* better too.

Because a neck set is expensive, some owners/repair people will take "short cuts" to
avoid doing a neck set. These short cuts are usually temporary at best,
and never give the best outcome. These include
lowering the bridge saddle and lowering the bridge.

Lowering the Saddle.
The original saddle is desirable on a vintage Martin. So when lowering the saddle,
remove the original saddle (and store is safely away), and
have a new lower saddle installed (removing material from the
saddle is required to lower it, so don't mess with the original saddle).

The problem with lowering a saddle is this: the lower the saddle,
the less "drive" there is across the bridge and the top of the guitar.
The less "drive", and the guitar won't usually sound as good as
it could.

Remember, on a flat top guitar the strings "drive" the bridge, which
vibrates the top of the guitar. This is where the sound and tone come
from. The lower the bridge saddle, the less "drive", and the less potential tone.
The ideal bridge saddle height should be about 1/8" to 3/16" (4 to 5 mm) above the top surface
of the bridge.

Lowering the Bridge (yikes!)
Again, as with the bridge saddle, too low
of a bridge will decrease the "drive" of the strings. Thus the sound
and tone will suffer. Also a low bridge is structurally not a good idea,
as the bridge can more easily crack (and damage the top of the guitar).
Most original Martin guitar bridges are about 3/8"
tall (from bottom to the highest part of the bridge).

After lowering the bridge (usually in a failed attempt at getting lower string action),
the owner will eventually realize this is not the best solution.
When this happens and a neck reset is preformed,
the original bridge will now be *useless* (because it is too low!)
The repair guy won't reset the neck to a low bridge, so a new
replacement bridge will be installed. At this point the originality
of the instrument is compromised.

Again, if a Martin guitar needs a neck set, don't try and solve the
problem of high string action any other way! Take the guitar to a *good*
repair person, pay the money, and have a proper neck set done. A good neck
set will make the guitar play and sound the best it can. With the correct
neck set and bridge and saddle height, the guitar strings will drive
the top of the guitar best, giving the best sound possible, and
at the ideal playing action. And after all, isn't that what it's
all about?

Rosewood back and sides, inlaid bridge pins, abalone inlay along the top,
back, sides, around edge of fingerboard, and around the soundhole, around
the neck heal, around the butt (by endpin). Fancy
backstripe, ebony fingerboard. First listed in 1904.
In the case of the OM-45, There was also a Martin OM-45 Deluxe version
made in 1930.

OM-45 Deluxe (only made in 1930), 14 made.
The OM-45 Deluxe pickguard had a pearl inlay in the tortoise pickguard,
the bridge wings have snowflake pearl inlays, and the banjo tuners were gold plated with
engraved buttons. It is not uncommon to see 'regular' OM-45 models that have a
replaced bridge with the pearl snowflakes (as a customer upgrade).

1931 Style 45 specs:

OM-45: Larger pickguard and right angled tuners.

1932 Style 45 specs:

Tortoise pickguard.

1933 Style 45 specs:

D-45 introduced (91 total made from 1933 to 1942), first two made (1933/1934) with
12 fret neck (all other had 14 fret neck),

Late 1933 Style 45 specs:

OM-45 discontinued (reintroduced in 1977).

1934 Style 45 specs:

"C.F. Martin" inlaid in pearl on peghead, 14 fret models only.

1937 Style 45 specs:

One D-45 made with a 12 fret neck and a solid peghead (sixth D-45 ever made).
The remaining 85 (of 91) D-45s were made from 1937 to 1942.

1938 Style 45 specs:

00-45 no longer made (until 1970).

1939 Style 45 specs:

Hexagonal fingerboard inlays on D-45 replace snowflakes.

Style 45 discontinued in 1942.

1968 Style 45 Reintroduction specs:

Black and white plastic purfling boardering abalone top and side inlay.

Style 40 flat top.
Collectibility Rating: B (would be higher but most models were
made in Hawaiian style).

Rosewood back and sides, abalone (pearl) inlay around top edge and soundhole
(but not on top around the fingerboard like a style 41,42,45 would have),
inlaid bridge pins. Fancy backstripe of horizontal lines between
two rows of diagonal lines (like style 45). Most style 40 models made
were hawaiian style with flat fingerboard radius, flat flush frets, high
string action, and no bridge saddle compensation. Most popular was
the OO-40H (though they did made 2-40, 0-40, 000-40 and 000-40H models prior to WW2).
Sometimes these are converted to regular "spanish" style
guitar (fingerboard radiused, refretted, neck reset, bridge saddle angled).
Made from the 1860s to 1917, then 1928 to 1941, then 1985 to present.

1860s Style 40 Introduction specs:

German silver tuners with pearl buttons.

Ivory bound fingerboard and peghead.

Ivory bridge

1909 Style 40 specs:

Ivoroid bound top and back.

Snowflake inlays beginning at 5th fret.

Unbound fingerboard and peghead.

1917 Style 40 specs:

Style 40 discontinued.

1928 Style 40 reintroduction specs:

Style 40 reintroduced.

Ebony bridge.

Most often seen as the Martin 00-40H (hawaiian) with 12 frets clear of
the body and a sloted peghead. The 00-40H maintained this configuration until
1941 when it was discontinued.

1941 Style 40 specs:

Style 40 discontinued. Reintroduced in 1985 with slightly different specs.

1963 D-28e. This model is a paradox.
Martin took a great guitar with great
flattop tone, and then added DeArmond
pickups and knobs to the top. This ruined
the tone (a flattop develops most of its
tone from the vibrating top). And the DeArmond
pickups don't amplify the acoustic properties
of the guitar. So you end up with a electric
guitar sound, while playing a flattop.
Because of this, the value for D-28e's is
really low. Some people go to the extreme
of re-topping this model. This essentially
gives you a vintage Brazilian rosewood D-28,
but with a new top. A double edge sword of
originality versus usability. Martin made only
284 D-28e's from 1959 to 1964, before giving
up on the model. Rare, but for very good reason (no one
wanted them, then or today!).

1930 Style 28 specs:

OM-28 has a belly bridge and silkscreened "Martin" peghead logo.

1931 Style 28 specs:

OM-28 gets a larger pickguard, right angle tuners, and inlays at frets
5/7/9/12/15.

D-28 introduced with 12 fret neck, white bridge pins with tortoise colored
dots (a total of 41 D-28s were made from 1931 to 1933 with a 12 fret neck).

Small graduated dot fingerboard inlays from the 5th
fret to the 15th fret. The 5th fret inlay is the largest (1/4"), with the
7th fret being slightly smaller, and the 9th, 12th and 15th being all the
same size (smaller still). The size of the dots goes from .25" to .20 to .15"
in diameter at the 9th thru 15th frets.

D-18 Introduced with a 12 fret neck, ebony fingerboard, black bridge pins
(a total of 29 D-18s were made from 1932 to 1933 with a 12 fret neck).

000-18 replaced by the 0M-18 (only in 1932 & 1933), and 000-18 not available.

0-18, 00-18, 000-18: most with rosewood fingerboard (still some with ebony).

Tortoise outer body binding used on some Style 18 models.
Body size 000-18 and smaller used tortoise first, with
D-18 models getting tortoise outer body binding around 1938.
But either black or tortoise can be seen in 1936-1938 on
Style 18 models.

Mahogany top, back and sides. No binding used, rosewood fingerboard and bridge,
semi-gloss finish, rectangle bridge used for all production. Very similar to
the Style 17, except the finish was less glossy.

1935 Style 15 specs:

Introduced with two early examples having birch and maple bodies.

1940 Style 15 specs:

Mahogany body standard.

Style 15 discontinued 1944.

1948 Style 15 reintroduction specs:

Model re-introduced.

1961 Style 15 specs:

Last 0-15 model made.

Style 15 only available in tenor format.

Style 15 discontinued 1963. Reintroduced in 1997 with different specs.

Arch top body size is equivalent to the flat top 000 body size, 15" wide
across the top, carved spruce top, back is not carved but is arched by
bracing, mahogany back and sides,
style 18 flat top trim, trapeze tail piece, rosewood fingerboard,
nickel plated parts, sunburst top finish.

1931 Style C-1 specs:

Vertical pearl "Martin" peghead logo on early models.

Round sound hole.

1932 Style C-1 specs:

f-holes introduced instead of round sound hole. Made
either way this year.

The C-series archtops were long scale until mid-1934, same as the 000 models.
Sometimes a C model is converted from an archtop to a 000 style flat top.
A conversion of a short scale C-2 (mid-1934 and later) won't exactly be a 000
either. The neck must be shortened to get the shallower angle required
for a flat top. This amounts to about 1/3 of a fret, so the guitar ends up
having a 13 2/3 fret neck. This puts the bridge position a little lower on
the top, closer to the OM bridge position (but not exactly the same).
The other feature on the C models that is different from a 000 is the
back arch and the back braces. The archtops have more arch in the back
and taller #3 and #4 back braces.
Note the 1939 and later C-2 models have no abalone, the neck inlays are pearloid.

1931 Martin C-2 guitar introduction specs:

Round sound hole.

Unbound fingerboard.

Slotted diamond fingerboard inlays.

1932 Style C-2 specs:

f-holes introduced instead of round sound hole. Made
either way this year.

The C-series archtops were long scale until mid-1934, same as the 000 models.
Sometimes a C model is converted from an archtop to a 000 style flat top.
A conversion of a short scale C-2 (mid-1934 and later) won't exactly be a 000
either. The neck must be shortened to get the shallower angle required
for a flat top. This amounts to about 1/3 of a fret, so the guitar ends up
having a 13 2/3 fret neck. This puts the bridge position a little lower on
the top, closer to the OM bridge position (but not exactly the same).
The other feature on the C models that is different from a 000 is the
back arch and the back braces. The archtops have more arch in the back
and taller #3 and #4 back braces.
Note the 1939 and later C-2 models have no abalone, the neck inlays are pearloid.

1931 Martin C-3 guitar introduction specs:

Round sound hole.

1932 Style C-3 specs:

f-holes introduced instead of round sound hole. Made
either way this year.

Arch top body, 16" wide across the top, similar trim to the C-1
arch top, mahogany back and sides, f-holes, sunburst top finish.

Introduced in 1940 and discontinued in 1942.

Style F-2 arch top.
Collectibility Rating: D-

Arch top body, 16" wide across the top, similar trim to the C-2
arch top, rosewood back and sides, f-holes, sunburst top finish.

Introduced in 1940 and discontinued in 1942.

Style R-17 arch top.
Collectibility Rating: D---

Arch top body like a 00 size flat top, 12 frets clear of the body,
14 1/8" wide across the top, top not carved but arched
with braces, mahogany top, back not carved but
arched by braces, 3 piece f-holes, sunburst top finish.

Introduced in 1934 and discontinued in 1942.

Style R-18 arch top.
Collectibility Rating: D--

Arch top body like a 00 size flat top, 12 frets clear of the body,
14 1/8" wide across the top, arched spruce top, back not carved but
arched by braces, 4 ply top binding with black outer layer, sunburst
top finish.

Ukuleles were in highest production from 1916 to the 1930's, though
still manufactured in quantity until 1965. Production quantities during
some periods were as great as Martin guitars. Martin ukes are considered to
be the best for craftsmenship and sound. The Koa
wood models are more collectible than mahagony models. The fancier style 5
models are worth more than plainer styles 0 to 3. All sizes are
collectible.

The first Martin ukes, built in 1916, have serial numbers ranging from one
to less than 200. Ukes made after 1916 do not have serial numbers and must
be dated by specification changes.

Ukes have the Martin stamp on the back of the peghead until 1935. Peghead
decals do not appear in catalog photos till after WWII.

Martin ukuleles produced in greatest numbers in the smallest soprano size,
but concert and tenor sizes were available circa 1922. Concert and tenor
models were available in all the following styles, with the exception of
Style 0, which was produced only as a soprano. Custom order ukuleles,
while rare, were available upon request, and may have combined features
from various styles.

Martin Style 0 Uke specs:
The most basic of Martin ukes. Mahogany body with
no body binding and nothing fancy. Discontinued in the 1970s.

Introduced in 1922.

Mahogany body.

No body binding.

12 fret rosewood fingerboard with bar frets.

C.F.Martin & Co. on back of headstock.

Small dot inlays.

Rosewood friction pegs.

1927: Ebony nut and nickel plated pegs

1932: Decal logo on front of headstock

1934: T frets

1970s: discontinued. Recently the S-O (made in Mexico) has
been introduced.